Since its inception, the first Saturday in May has evolved into one of sports’ yearly must-see spectacles, and has become a hub for sports, entertainment and news personalities and countless other celebrities. The race’s fashion has evolved over the years as well.

Here are some Kentucky Derby records and other facts and figures regarding the race itself:

Facts

The Derby is the first race in horse racing’s coveted Triple Crown, which also includes the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

The Kentucky Derby takes place annually at Churchill Downs and has been since its first race over 140 years ago. (The Preakness Stakes takes place at Pimlico in Baltimore, Maryland and The Belmont Stakes takes place at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York)

The Derby is also referred to as “The Run for the Roses” due to the garland of 554 red roses draped over the winner. It is also referred to as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.”

Currently, the Derby is comprised of the 20 best three-year old mares (male horses). Originally, the race was made up of 15.

The first Kentucky Derby took place on May 17, 1875. The first Kentucky Derby winner was Aristides.

The Kentucky Derby was first run at 1-1/2 miles (2.4 kilometres), the same distance as the Epsom Derby. The distance was changed in 1896 to its current 1-1/4 miles (2.0 kilometres).

Only three fillies (female horses) have won the Derby: Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980) and Winning Colors (1988). The last female horse to win a stretch of the Triple Crown was when Rachel Alexandria won the Preakness Stakes in 2009

Since 1990, there have been nine instances where horses have won the first two of the three legs of the Triple Crown.
– Silver Charm in 1997
– Real Quiet in 1998
– Charismatic in 1999
– War Emblem in 2002
– Funny Cide in 2003
– Smarty Jones in 2004
– Big Brown in 2008 — did not finish the Belmont stakes and was euthanized on the track.
– I’ll Have Another in 2012 — was scratched from the 2012 Belmont Stakes
– California Chrome in 2014

Here are the last 10 Kentucky Derby results (win, place and show):

Date:

Win:

Place:

Show:

Time:

5/3/2014

California Chrome

Commanding Curve

Danza

02:03.7

5/4/2013

Orb

Golden Soul

Revolutionary

02:02.9

5/5/2012

I’ll Have Another

Bodemeister

Dullahan

02:01.8

5/7/2011

Animal Kingdom

Nehro

Mucho Macho Man

02:02.0

5/1/2010

Super Saver

Ice Box

Paddy O’Prado

02:04.5

5/2/2009

Mine That Bird

Pioneer Of The Nile

Musket Man

02:02.7

5/3/2008

Big Brown

Eight Belles

Denis Of Cork

02:01.8

5/5/2007

Street Sense

Hard Spun

Curlin

02:02.2

5/6/2006

Barbaro

Bluegrass Cat

Steppenwolfer

02:01.4

5/7/2005

Giacomo

Closing Argument

Afleet Alex

02:02.8

There have been 140 previous Kentucky Derby winners, and 289 horses in total have won at least one Triple Crown race. 52 horses have won two of the races — 23 the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, 18 the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, and 11 the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes — and 11 horses have won all three races. The last horse to win the Triple Crown was Affirmed in 1978.